A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
by Virtuous Vampire
Summary: What happens when Ralph becomes a pawn in Jack's twisted game? How will Ralph fight the demonic God of Chaos when he is disguised as the virtuous former choirboy? Four years on. Ralph/Jack.R&R!CH.5 IS UP!
1. Chapter 1

**Lord of the Flies**

**A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing**

He could hear his heart pounding in his ears as he ran, it's erratic beating drowning out the hissing and licking of the pursuing flames. This did not calm him. Just because he couldn't hear the sounds of the crackling flames didn't mean that he couldn't smell the smoke or feel the scorching heat reaching out to burn him.

He had no energy left, adrenaline was all that fuelled him. The survival instinct to escape the blaze and the hunters was all that kept him going. He feared the Chief infinitely more than the inferno. The Chief would keep him alive to toy with, like a cat playing with a cornered mouse.

"Oooohooohooohooohooohoooh!"

The cry of a nearby hunter tore through him and made him run even faster. But where? The jungle was a labyrinth and Ralph did not know his true location. Was he near the beach? Or had he turned in a circle and unknowingly headed back toward Castle Rock? He felt truly trapped, trapped in a maze of fire and trees…

He saw a flicker of light ahead, a wink of sunshine. He darted towards it with all the vigour of a blind man being granted one last sight of the sun.

From behind, a hand grabbed him by the neck and threw him to the ground. Ralph tried to stand but the figure punched him in the ribs and kneed him in the groin. He rolled over on his side in pain, curled into a ball to protect himself from his attacker. His efforts were in vain. The hunter grabbed him by his arms and forced him to turn over and face him. He then picked up his carved spear that had been lying on the ground and ran the sharp tip over Ralph's jugular.

Ralph almost forgot how to breath, his fear was so great.

Then the king of the savages spoke, his voice full of malicious joy.

"We're going to have lots of fun finding out what makes you squeal!"

The barbarian retracted the pointed spear from Ralph's throat. Ralph breathed a sigh of relief, then his foe stabbed him in the stomach.

"RALPH! Wake up silly!"

Ralph jolted awake. He looked around him. He was in his back garden . He was at home, safe and sound. He brought a hand to his head to rake through his hair, a habit he had developed in his childhood. No hair was found. He remembered that he had shaved it off on his return to home almost four years previously.

He glanced upwards into the wide eyes of Marcus, his younger brother.

"Mummy says you must help set the table. Can we play 'Simon Says' first?"

Ralph stood up. "Perhaps after dinner."

Marcus pouted. "No, now!"

Ralph tried not to laugh, but it was no easy task. His brothers expression mirrored that of a sovereign being denied his crown. He surveyed him. His arms were crossed in an act of defiance, his cheeks were puffed outwards and his eyes were locked determinedly on his own.

Ralph's face broke into a smile as an idea popped into his head. He bent down on his hunkers but did not break eye contact. Then, faster than lightning he poked his brother in the right cheek. The result was predictable. His cheeks deflated like a balloon as the air escaped through his mouth.

Marcus forgot his goal momentarily and he burst into hysterical laughter at the childish joke. While he was distracted, Ralph hauled him up and threw him over his right shoulder. The battle won, he headed for the house.

"Ralph, put me down!" Marcus protested half-heartedly. Ralph knew that he preferred this game to 'Simon Says'.

While Ralph opened the door with his left hand(all the while keeping Marcus in place with his right), he attempted to reassure himself that the nightmare was over. He could not slow the frantic beating of his heart or prevent the beads of sweat emerging from his pores. The dream was more terrifying than a made up torture because most of it was true. Memories mingled with his greatest fears stalked his every moment of somnolence. Yes, he could still smell the smoke on the air, still hear the ululations echoing on the wind. He strived to banish the thoughts from his mind, instead focusing on what had _not_ transpired.

Instead of being wrenched backwards onto the partially singed grass by Jack, he had managed to break free onto the welcoming sand on the beach. Officer Deaks had stopped the hunt, although he had remained oblivious to it.

_Jack did not catch him, Jack did not catch him…._

Marcus ceased with his pretend struggling and Ralph let him down in the hallway. Ralph expected him to run ahead to the kitchen but he grabbed his hand and dragged him along as well.

"I need to help you set the table Ralph, because we're going to have guests and we need to clean as well and Mummy says it requires a lot of responsibility." Marcus explained in a very self-important voice. Ralph was only half listening to his little brother. He could here voices coming from the kitchen.

"I'm so terribly sorry about the mess, We weren't expecting you for another half hour. Please excuse Marcus's toys". Ralph heard a squeaking noise as a bundle of toys were scooped up, obviously by his mother, who continued babbling. He assumed she was entertaining some business colleagues.

"Please make yourselves at home!"

The two brothers entered the kitchen. Ralph's mother turned to him both delight and anxiety united on her wrinkled face.

"Ralph I have the most wonderful surprise for you." While speaking she handed the toys to Marcus and gestured for him to take them to his room. "While I was grocery shopping the other day, I ran into an old school friend of yours, you know one of the boys you were _stuck on the island with._" She uttered that last part in a whisper.

Had Ralph any hair, his eyebrows would have vanished beneath it, so great was his surprise.

"I recognised him from an old school photograph I have of the choir. He was ever so charming and polite, and then I got chatting to his mother. To make a long story short, I invited them both over for dinner. Jack agreed with me that it would be best kept a secret so we could surprise you!"

Throughout her speech, Ralph's mother had neglected to notice the horror slowly unravelling on her son's face. She turned from him in order to tidy the room quickly. Ralph stood rooted to the spot, unable to fully comprehend what his mother had just revealed to him. Finally he managed to voice what he felt was the most important question.

"Where are they now?"

"Why, in the parlour of course. We can't have guests sitting down in this clutter. I believe they're browsing through some of our books."

Ralph did not care how trivial his mother had found his question to be, if Jack Merridew was in his house he wanted to know where he was _at all times._ He wondered idly if his mother would care so much about the disarray of the room, if she knew that she had invited the God of Chaos into it.

How could this be? How could Jack be in his house? And in such a _civilised_ circumstance. He and his mother were going to eat _dinner_ with them, with knives and forks and napkins with frills! How very 'la-di-daah'!

He set the table in a trance, all the time thinking of the petrifying leader of the hunters, how he had tortured and maimed for no reason other than slaking his own personal lusts. How could such a figure be described by his own mother as 'charming'? The answer was unfathomable to Ralph.

As he finished laying the plates, a movement to his left caught his attention. Jack was leaning against the doorframe that connected the kitchen to the parlour. His hair was the same mass of red as before-wild and untameable. He locked eyes with him then and attempted to discover what lay in their depths. His eyes were cold and impassive, not like the last time Ralph had seen him. He scoured his mind for his last memory of the boy-'man' he corrected himself-that stood in front of him.

Fear and uncertainty had reflected in his eyes then. They had been on the war boat and Jack had been in obvious denial. He hadn't wanted to return home. Ralph remembered how lost he had looked from the opposite side of the ship. All of the boys had crossed a line on the island, but Jack was the furthest from it. He had unleashed his inner savage completely; how could he smother that primal force that now ran rampart inside of him? Ralph had not bid him farewell. He simply ran to his parents, desperate to escape his fellow children who had hunted him earlier.

"Ralph!"

He blinked. The greeting sounded happy and warm, without an ounce of malice. He could not help but flinch as Jack made his way towards him, his hand outstretched.

After the handshake, Ralph felt himself becoming detached from the scene. The entire thing seemed far too surreal. He was aware of Jack's mother entering from the parlour and Marcus entering from the hall. They all sat and began to eat. Jack was opposite him at the end of the table. He felt himself chewing his food and responding when asked a question automatically, but he could not shake the sense that it was all a dream. He moved mechanically, going through the motions.

"What is your favourite subject?" Jack's mother, a fragile looking woman asked him.

He snapped out of his daze as this question required more than a grunt or a nod of the head. He searched his mind for the answer.

"Errr…"

"Ralph has never been very academic." his mother answered for him.

Before Ralph could confirm the statement, she turned to Jack.

"And you Jack?"

"I love history." Ralph almost gagged when he saw an earnest almost "boyish" smile on his face.

Ralph's mother sighed and sent him a sideways glance that seemed to say_ Why can't you be more like him?_

The table went quiet as an awkward silence descended. After a the ticking of the nearby clock had nearly driven Ralph mad, Jack's mother addressed him.

"I must admit, I did not recognise you at first today. I remember you as the boy with long fair hair that ran off the battleship screaming for your mother!"

Ralph blushed and felt sure that Jack had sniggered.

"Why ever did you cut your lovely locks?" she continued.

Ralph remembered the filthy masses of blond hair, tainted with earth and grime. He remembered how it had obscured his vision while he ran through the trees…washing it clean had not helped no matter how vigorously he had scrubbed.

He mustered a shaky smile, " I grew tired of Marcus pulling it."

The two women shared a laugh and Marcus joined in happily.

Ralph did not laugh at his own feeble joke. His attention was focused entirely on Jack.

He was looking at him like he knew the true reason for his shedding his hair.

"Excuse me."

Ralph got up and headed for the garden. As he left the table he heard the laughter die.

When he reached the grass, he knelt down on his knees and brought his hands to his face. He inhaled and exhaled deeply. He couldn't listen to Jack pretending to be someone else, acting as if the atrocities on the island had never been committed. It didn't matter if he truly felt remorse, which Ralph doubted. He was responsible for the deaths of two boys and no amount of sucking up and acting harmless would change that. Who did he think he was? Ralph viewed him as nothing more than a bee masquerading as a butterfly.

"They sent me out to check on you."

Ralph jumped to his feet and turned to face him, trying to ignore the tears that were prickling his eyes.

"How can you sit there and pretend it was all a big adventure? That it didn't change us at all?" he spat the words at Jack..

He expected him to usher him back inside and comfort him that it was all over and no longer mattered. He expected lies to flow from the mouth that had bitten savagely into Simon's skin…

Instead he laughed. The hairs on Ralph's skin raised in fright as the evil chortling of the Chief echoed in his ears.

"You believed it? Excellent, I thought you would be the most difficult to fool."

Ralph was aware of the perplexed expression on his face and try as he may, he could not remove it.

"It's a mask. It makes everyone think I'm 'a functional member of society'." his voice was laced with disgust.

"We're home now" Ralph swallowed the bile that was slowly rising in his throat "you can't play make-believe with masks and games-"

"That clay was not a mask!"

Ralph jumped at his sudden burst of anger.

"This" Jack gestured to his face, "_this_ is the mask. A mask I put on everyday that hides the real me from everyone else. It hides the savage until I'm alone and I can unleash it."

He was smiling now, thinking of some personal experience. His volatile personality scared Ralph, it made him impossible to predict. At least he wasn't hiding anymore…but then again they were alone, what reason would he have to pretend?

"It's brilliant isn't it? How I can lull people into thinking I'm harmless? Why, even earlier this week I heard your own mother say she wished you had coped as well as I have. It was so easy to pull the wool over her eyes-"

"It's lily-livered is what it is! Pretending your noble when you're a killer underneath."

Ralph regretted saying it as soon as it escaped his lips. Jack stared at him with a look of mock puzzlement.

"Why Ralph, I only ever killed animals for food. We _all_ killed Simon and he was queer anyway. As for Fatty-"

"His name was Piggy!" Ralph cringed when he realised that he had never learned Piggy's true name and that as his closest friend he should have made a better effort.

Jack was laughing again. He hated him with every fibre of his being. He hated him for letting the signal fire go out, he hated him for leading the mutiny against him, he hated him for making him see his own inner darkness and he hated him for giving him nightmares every night for the past four years.

"Piggy was braver than you. He stood up to you when he couldn't see with only the conch as a weapon. You can't even own up to what you are. A sneak, a liar, a dirty thief, a scaredy-cat-"

"I ain't a scaredy-cat! I'm honest! I admit what I really am while everyone else walks around like perfect dolts trying to be_ civilised_!"

Ralph felt a sudden urge to laugh hysterically. Here they were throwing childish insults at each other when moments before they had been sharing a meal together! He contained the instinct and continued his verbal attack.

"If you're so _proud_ of being a monster why don't you tell the world?! Shout it from the roofs, let every civilised _dolt_ see your true face! Cast off the mask. You won't do it will you? Even on the ship going home you couldn't tell Officer Deaks cos you knew what'd happen. You knew you'd get locked up! You're a coward Jack Merridew, a bloody coward and you always will-"

He froze as he saw Jack withdraw a pocket knife from his trousers. The fear paralysed him like a drug so that he could not force himself to move as Jack strode forward and placed the sharp blade to his neck.

Jack was so close to him that he could count his eyelashes if he wanted to. They were both breathing heavily, both full of suppressed rage begging to be released.

"Take it back". Jack's voice was a hoarse whisper.

Ralph said nothing.

"Take it back!"

Ralph felt the edge of the stainless steel digging into his flesh, cool and deadly.

"You won't do it. We're not on the island. You can't get away with murder." He sounded a lot more confident than he felt.

Their eyes never left the others. Time crawled slower than a snail. Ralph felt the mark of the blade, not hard enough to draw blood but enough to hurt.

"Why is Ralph crying, Jack?" Both boys turned to the backdoor. Marcus was staring up at them, unsure what to think.

"We're just pretending Marcus. Just playing a game." Ralph managed to say and while he spoke, the blade tickled his throat.

Jack turned back to him and hesitated. He then pocketed the knife. Ralph breathed a sigh of relief. He wanted nothing more than to curl up on the grass and be left alone to think. Sadly, he had to pretend he was alright for the rest of the meal.

"Come back inside, the dinner's getting cold!" Marcus scolded them.

They both followed him in. Ralph wiped away his tears and with them, any evidence that any confrontation had occurred. They re-entered the kitchen.. They sat down and Ralph saw Jack's face change from barbarian to gentleman. He realised that he must do the same.

"Darling, are you alright?" his mothers voice was concerned.

"Yes, I just felt a bit light-headed, that's all."

He glanced down at his hardly touched food. There was far too much bacon for him to keep down, as he had lost his appetite.

"Come along Ralph" he glanced across the table to Jack, who had more than half of his plate cleared.

He continued "Eat up, it's only a fat Piggy. It won't bite back."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, I know I said this would be a one-shot but then inspiration struck. I thought the story was over. I realised that it hasn't even started yet. Alas, there is no Jack in this chapter but he will be back soon. This is more of a look into Ralph and how different he is because of the island. I think it's pretty tame but go into it with your eyes open. Oh, and sorry if Ralph seems kinda creepy, he's a good lad at heart.**

**Disclaimer; Hey you know that book 'Lord Of The Flies'? I don't own it _and _I_'_m not making any money out of it.**

**Thanks to Pineconed Owl, Endelvich, LTJM, HajisChevalier and Macbeth2 for reviewing. Without all of your feedback, I probably would have left this with one chapter.**

**Enjoy. Read&Review!=)**

**LOTF-A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing**

**Chapter 2**

"Oww! Michelle stop!"

Despite Katie's squealing for help, she couldn't stop giggling as her friend continued with her onslaught of tickling. As the two girls carried on with their fun, they remained oblivious to a pair of observant blue eyes monitoring them from behind the bookcase.

Ralph noted that they were louder than usual. He guessed that they were excited about the weekend and couldn't concentrate properly. It was a fine Friday afternoon and a bar of golden light shone through the library window.

Katie came here after school everyday, forced by her mother who insisted that she make a better effort at school. Half the time she doodled on her various notebooks or gossiped with passing friends. Ralph didn't like it when Michelle accompanied her, she took up her full attention and made her giddy. It was difficult watching her when she wouldn't sit still, like tracking the movements of a wired hummingbird.

Sadly, that was the case today. Katie's blond locks bounced wildly around her head with all the vibrancy of living things as she shook with laughter. He was still mesmerised. She was so animated…so alive. Everything he wasn't. Comparing himself to Katie was like comparing a blooming rose to a shrivelling one. Where she thrived he withered.

_Well, opposites attract._ A hopeful voice in the back of his mind said.

Ralph detested the voice. It gave him false hope and made the truth harder to accept.

_How could _she _ever_ _want _you_? _A different voice sounded.

Ralph wasn't overly fond of that voice either. He still preferred it to the other one though. It was harsh, but realistic. It didn't mollycoddle the facts to spare his feelings. It was straightforward and for that he was grateful.

He glanced absentmindedly at the clock that hung over the girls heads. He sharpened his gaze in disbelief.

_It couldn't be five o'clock already._

Katie's mother would pull up outside soon. This saddened him. He felt like he had just begun watching her.

He was familiar with her daily schedule. Their first class of the day was English. She was always fashionably late. On a normal morning it would be by five minutes, but this would stretch to twenty if she had applied make-up. She only wore it once or twice a week for which Ralph was grateful. He disliked how girls insisted on painting their faces. It reminded him of the smeared clay on the hunters demonic features.

Katie didn't need anything to enhance her countenance anyway. Her face was clear of spots and her eyes were wide and bewitching on their own.

She scratched her nose slightly if she was hungry usually around ten o' clock, ten minutes before break. She played with her hair when she was bored, which was most of the time at school. Her lunchtimes were spent with her friends laughing and joking. Sometimes she went off to a private place with one of the boys, her friends would be left abandoned along with her half-eaten sandwich. School was followed by study-time in the school library. This was the only chance of alone time that Ralph had with her, whether she was aware of it or not.

They had been classmates for the past four years, but it was only in the past two that he had become infatuated with her. She remained completely oblivious, hardly ever speaking to him unless they were sitting in a group together. This in itself didn't happen often as Ralph was reclusive by nature and kept to himself. She was always looking for help with homework, especially English and history. These were Ralph's weakest subjects also, so he was no good to her. This frustrated him because it was an ideal opportunity to get to know her better. If only he were smarter…

"_Ralph has never been very academic."_ His mother's disappointed tone echoed in his ears making him feel worse than he already did.

Ralph had kissed a girl once before, prior to the events on the island. It was nice. He didn't know how else to describe it. The girl-_Maureen?_ He didn't remember- had been pretty enough. He had been confident back then and his first kiss at twelve seemed like nothing more than a bit of fun. It was…different. He had just reached the stage in his life where he had stopped sticking his tongue out at people and then to literally stick it into someone else's mouth had been strange. It was enjoyable though. He felt more experienced, more grown up.

Then the island…and everything was different. On his return he felt changed. Like he couldn't trust anyone. Kissing, he felt, required trust. You had to trust the other person enough to close your eyes and still feel safe. Ralph had dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. Without your eyes to guard you, you were vulnerable, exposed. If he couldn't relax when he was alone in his own bedroom, how could he relax with someone else? You also had to trust that the other person wouldn't bite you.

Kissing was a trivial thing among people his age. Boys wanted to go further than that. They wanted to touch, explore…Ralph blushed despite himself. If kissing required trust then sex was no different. Now _that_ was exposed. To be completely naked with another and hands touching everywhere… If Ralph mentioned that he didn't feel secure enough for a simple kiss, he'd _never_ hear the end of it.

Girls didn't like him much anyway. He had shown signs of becoming handsome when younger but when he had shaved his head, girls quickly lost whatever interest they had shown before. He had always been the pretty fair haired boy with mischievous eyes, but now he was bald and mentally middle-aged. Not counting his disdain for love making, in which he possessed the maturity of an awkward nine year old. He knew that the bags under his eyes weren't doing him any favours either. Yes, the island had definitely left marks on him. Where the physical scars had healed, the emotional ones had manifested themselves on his face, laid bare for the world to see.

He couldn't help but be awkward around girls. They seemed to see the weariness in the black pits of his eyes clearer than the boys did. Thus, he was shy. The girls interpreted the shyness for rudeness. Each thing led to another.

He wasn't asexual or anything. He thought girls were appealing to glance at, why else would he spend his days studying the plains of Katie's face? There was a clear boundary though, between fantasy and reality. That's what he had magazines for; to indulge himself. Naked women would peep out at him from the inside pages, urging him to unwind. And "unwind" he did in the privacy of his bedroom or bathroom. When his frustration was unleashed he felt almost like a child again-happy and free- despite the horrid method it required.

However, when the fleeting moment of release was over, he couldn't help but feel dirty. So he would shower, banishing all traces of his fulfilment from his lower body parts. The beings in the magazine could hardly be described as "girls" though. They were masks of glamour that never ate, sweat, or relieved themselves. He viewed them separately from the living, breathing creatures he beheld everyday at school.

Besides the fear of intimacy, Ralph felt unworthy of touching a girl in that way. They were clean people and he was tainted, spoiled. He didn't want to tarnish a single speck of Katie's skin with his filth.

He was a killer. He tried to blame Simon's death on Jack because it was mostly his fault, but it wasn't entirely. They had all been a part of it. He wished desperately that he could go back in time and recognise Simon for who he was. He was ashamed, looking back on that night on the beach.. If he had been more perceptive the murder wouldn't have taken place. Instead of stopping to assess the situation, he had joined everyone else; jumping on the fabled Beast and tearing and scratching and biting chunks of flesh out…until all that was left was a mangled corpse of a boy with jet-black hair. No matter how much Ralph tried to deny it, he had blood on his hands. Blood that had not washed off for four years and never would.

He shuddered as his thoughts rested on Jack. Or rather his thoughts returned to Jack. He was never far from his thoughts.

Jack's "friendly" visit had taken place over a month ago. Ralph hadn't seen him since, except in his nightmares. The dreams now had a new setting. Instead of the island they took place in Ralph's house, his school, anywhere that he felt remotely safe.

The most frequent one was Jack sitting at the dining room table devouring miniature versions of people. With a knife and fork in hand and a napkin tucked into the neck of his shirt of course. He was a civilised savage, committing atrocities with a casual smile. First he would eat the littlun with the strange birthmark as an appetiser, Simon for the starter and Piggy for the main dish with an apple in his mouth. Piggy would wheeze and gag account of his asthma, but would be silenced as Jack stabbed him in the gut and tore him open. He ate with great gusto, his bloodlust insatiable. Ralph would always wake drenched in sweat before finding out what or_ who_ was intended for dessert. Although he had a fair idea.

He snapped out of his daydream as he heard the screeching of chairs being pushed back on the ground. Katie and Michelle were leaving. He quickly moved to behind another bookcase as they passed, blending into the scenery like a chameleon.

As Katie passed he inhaled deeply. She smelt sweet, like apples and spices. He let her scent fill him and he basked in the illusion that she knew him and liked him.

He could see her from the window as a car pulled up to collect her. His nose scrunched in confusion. It wasn't her mother's car. It was newer, cleaner, edgier.

The car window rolled down and he saw a handsome, dark haired boy. Katie leaned in and kissed him lovingly. She then flung her schoolbag into the backseat carelessly and sat in the passengers seat. The car shot off faster than a rocket, leaving Michelle to walk to the bus stop by herself.

Ralph slumped against the bookcase. The cynical voice in the back of his mind laughed and jeered at him. How could he hope to have a chance with Katie when he was a broken boy who wanted only to hold her hand and smell her hair? That wasn't a very appealing offer, especially when she enjoyed kisses, Prince Charming and fast cars.

He slung his bag over his shoulder and went to get the next bus home.

**Soooo.....Good?Bad?Let me know!=)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey here's more Ralph angst! I present to you Chapter 3. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I read all of them about ten times!**

**Read and Review! Enjoy!=)**

Chapter 3

Ever since that Friday afternoon when he had felt his already fragile heart break, Ralph had avoided any social interaction that was not essential. He drew his curtains and locked his bedroom door. He lay in the darkness with his light off. When hours would pass without any sound besides his own breathing, he would pinch himself until he bruised, just to prove to himself that he was still alive. That although he was damaged beyond repair, he was still capable of feeling pain.

Katie's _friend_(he couldn't bear the term boyfriend) was called Daniel. Apparently it was common knowledge in their school that Katie had an older friend who went to college. He supposed that he had been so mesmerised by Katie herself that he had neglected to listen when her girlfriends had gossiped about him. But ever since that fateful afternoon it was as if he had been granted a hearing-aid to cure his deafness when it came to the matter. At school, all he ever heard was Daniel this and Daniel that. He was kind without being a goody two shoes, he was smart without being a swot, he was confident without being arrogant. He was perfect. The epitome of everything Ralph wasn't. The latest rumour was that Katie was now sleeping with him.

Ralph clenched his fists under his bed sheets. That last detail _proved _that Daniel was his superior. Ralph knew that he would never be able to make love and he hated himself for it. He was weak and pathetic. The younger Ralph would have mocked and jeered at this stranger. This bald, serious creature was hollow. He ate and slept to keep his body going but was void of any joy or laughter.

His latest dreams weren't nightmares so much as in depth glances into the recesses of his mind. Back on the island. Jack would capture him, but instead of torturing him, he examined him and experimented on him like a mad scientist. The dream was usually the same. Jack would neatly remove his heart, careful not to spill any blood(ha!) and then he would fill the gap in his chest with darkness. He no longer considered this a dream, for that was what had happened. His heart full of love and innocence, was left on that cursed island, decomposing in some hidden cave or alcove.

With his curtains pulled and his lights switched off, Ralph could convince himself that he was only a shadow of his former self. That when the sun filtered through in the morning that he would be destroyed by the incoming ray of light.

The act of escapism was denied to him. He could no longer "unwind" with his scantily dressed friends. Where their smiling faces had encouraged him before, they now sneered and taunted his asexual practices.

_Bald, mentally middle-aged AND impotent. Fantastic._

With these morbid thoughts still floating around in his head, he was unprepared for the insistent knock that hammered on his door.

"Ralph! Wakey-wakey sleepy head!"

Ralph groaned. Why couldn't his little brother leave him in peace? Was that so much to ask? He pulled his quilt over his face, hoping that Marcus would give up and go away. No such luck. His brother was persistent.

"RALPH!"

"I'm sleeping Marcus!"

"No you're not! You're talking to me, which means you're awake!"

Ralph let another audible groan pass his lips. What was life coming to when he couldn't even outwit a four year old?

"I demand you give me my present, now!"

Ralph snapped. He jerked back his bedcovers and marched to his door. He tugged the door open so forcefully that it almost came off it's hinges. Outside Marcus was waiting expectantly with his arms crossed.

Ralph couldn't control himself. He unleashed all the frustration that had been building for the past few weeks on his unsuspecting sibling.

"Well I don't have a present for you, you spoilt little brat! Why would I? I clean up after and take care of you enough as it is! Now bugger off down stairs, I don't want to look at your sulking face!"

He regretted his harsh words immediately. It was too late though, he couldn't take them back. He wished he could salvage the situation and cram the poisonous insults back into his careless mouth.

Silent tears slid down Marcus's cheeks and he began to shake with the effort of stifling his sobs.

"It's my birthday," he whispered hoarsely.

Ralph stiffened as he remembered. Of course! It was his fifth birthday…it had slipped his mind completely. Couldn't he do anything right? Being a good older brother was the one thing he felt good at and he had managed to muck that up as well. He would have to remember to add 'complete twat' to his description of himself.

He bent down on his hunkers and enveloped his brother in an almost crushing hug.

"I'm so sorry Marcus, I didn't mean any of those awful things." He pulled away from the snivelling mess that was Marcus so that he could look into his eyes.

"Do you remember that time you broke your fire truck and you were grumpy to everyone for over a week?" he tried to make his brother understand.

Marcus caught his breath long enough between sobs to respond, "Did-did you break your favourite toy too, Ralph?"

"Something like that." _Huh, maybe he did have a sense of humour._

"Ca-can you get it fixed? Daddy got my truck fixed."

_Possibly, with plenty counselling and lots and lots of practice._

"We'll see. But first, I have to put a smile back on your face."

Before Marcus could react, Ralph wrestled him to the floor, pulled up his t-shirt and started blowing raspberries on his stomach.

"What is going on up there?" their mother called from downstairs as Marcus's laughter echoed throughout the house.

"Nothing mother!" Ralph called as he propped Marcus up onto his feet. His face was flushed as he was still recovering from the unexpected attack.

"Now, go downstairs and I'll be down in a moment. It's your special day today, so we can do whatever you want."

He gave his brother a last, reassuring wink and the remaining suspicious look in Marcus's eyes vanished. He smiled back happily before racing down the stairs at top speed.

Ralph pulled back the curtains and daylight streamed through like a waterfall surging down a steep slope. He stripped his bed and dressed quickly, not wanting to keep his brother waiting. He didn't bother checking his face or hair, regarding his appearance as a lost cause_._

He descended the stairs at a dangerous speed and almost collided with his mother when he reached the bottom step.

"Oh my! Ralph, dear, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I'm sorry mother," he responded automatically.

"I was just going up to talk to you-"

"Yes, it's Marcus's birthday, I'll take him out for the day, bring him anywhere he wants," he cut her off.

She looked mildly confused for half a second before recovering. "Oh. Oh no not that, although yes that would be smashing if you could take him out. What I wanted to talk to you about was this."

And from behind her back she withdrew a worn photograph of Katie. Ralph instinctively reached out and grabbed it. His mother flinched.

"I-I'm sorry darling, I was about to put your trousers in the wash this morning when that tumbled out of your pocket."

Ralph only half heard her, he was completely focused on the miniature Katie smiling out only at him. He was tempted to lean in and smell the picture in the hopes of catching a hint of her fruity scent but refrained. He knew that the photograph smelt of him and him only. Besides, his mother thought him strange enough as it was. She would insist on psychological help if he started sniffing random objects on top of his other strange habits.

"-I didn't mean to pry," she continued, "she-she's very pretty isn't she?"

Ralph flushed an even darker shade of beetroot. To his utmost horror he realised that his mother was wiping tears from her eyes.

"It's good to see you with someone special. You will invite her over, won't you?" She caught the look on his face. "Not immediately, but when you feel comfortable. Your father and I will take care of Marcus."

His throat was dry. His mother thought Katie was his girlfriend. That they were seeing each other. He was about to set his mother straight when he caught the look of happiness in her eyes, that made them twinkle brighter than the stars. He couldn't crush her hopes of him finally starting a normal life.

"Um…well of course…when she feels like it."

"Brilliant!"

With that, his mother cleared her face of her tears and squeezed his shoulder affectionately. She seemed lost for words.

"Marcus?" he prompted her.

"Yes!" she collected herself. "He mentioned that he wanted to go to the carnival. I believe the choir is performing there, among other things. You simply won't guess who's the lead singer!"

Ralph guessed correctly and smiled to hide his terror.

**I think we all know who's gonna be at the carnival.... review! Hope you guys liked it.=)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, here's chapter 4. Sorry it took so long, I certainly hope it was worth the wait! Thanks to everyone who reviewed.**

**As always-read&review!=)**

**A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing**

**Chapter 4**

"WOOOW!!!" Marcus guffawed loudly as the fire-eater gave an almighty belch and flames sprang upwards in a sea of crimson and orange. As he clapped enthusiastically along with the other ardent observers, Ralph remained impassive.

_Fire…nothing he hadn't seen before. Been there, done that._

He wondered idly if the fire-eater could conjure up a forest full of flames. He doubted it. A silly smile tugged his lips upwards at his small joke. Maybe he could have made use of a fire-eater back then. Someone to devour the spitting blaze and burn the others to a cinder. Use the little brats giant weapon against them.

As the performer bowed, Marcus tugged at Ralph's sleeve impatiently.

"I want to find Jack! Mother said he'd be here."

Ralph's smile disintegrated, as if a bubble of happiness in him had been pricked with a needle. Upon their arrival, he had tried to distract Marcus with all the different attractions-the jugglers, the different amusements for children, the exotic dancers, all the while keeping one ear open for the sound of singing. He had heard no joining voices yet, but the second he did he would drag his younger brother in the opposite direction. Unfortunately for him, Marcus was proving difficult to lead astray.

He leaned down to his brother. "How about we get some candy floss instead?"

Marcus looked at him as if he were insane. "But Ralph we've already had hotdogs and popcorn _and_ jellies. If you eat anymore food you'll pop like a balloon!" As if to make his point clearer he jabbed Ralph's full stomach lightly with his middle finger.

Ralph suppressed a laugh and feigned hurt feelings.

"Marcus…are you trying to tell me I'm fat? Because if that's the case, I won't be able to carry you on my shoulders anymore. You'll get sucked into my gooey flesh by the flab monster!"

Marcus gasped in horror. "No, no Ralph you're not fat at all! You can still give me a piggyback!"

"Only if you insist." And with that he hauled the smaller boy onto his shoulders and clutched his scrawny legs tightly.

He sighed with relief. Marcus seemed distracted. He wasn't sure how much longer he could pull this off. For Marcus, Jack was the highlight of the carnival, the shining beacon. He wouldn't leave without seeing him. _I could just refuse and we could leave early_ he thought to himself. But, no he couldn't really. Not after being such a horrid brute to him earlier. It was his birthday after all. He deserved whatever he wanted. Too bad the present he wanted most was something Ralph was terrified of giving him. So they would see Jack eventually, but Ralph would do his utmost to prolong the inevitable.

The carnival was maze-like. They would go around in circles three times before Ralph would realise that they had already passed the same attractions. He wasn't sure where the candy floss stall was but knew there was one somewhere. Many children had big clumps of the sugary cloudy substance to confirm that.

"Ralph, what do you do if you like a girl?"

The question was so unexpected that Ralph almost stumbled. He then collected himself.

"I imagine you would find out if she likes you back."

_I imagine? _Fabulous, he had just revealed to his younger brother that he had no real experience and was only guessing. Luckily for Ralph, Marcus didn't seem to notice.

"Well, I tried holding her hand but she pushed me away, so then I pushed her into the mud. Her dress was ruined and she blamed me! But she's the one who started it!"

Ralph felt a pang of hope for his brother. He obviously liked the girl. He remembered when he was around the same age and had pulled a girl's pigtails because she wouldn't look him in the eye. He had wanted to get her undivided attention. It had worked but not in the way he had hoped. As they grew older she began acting snooty towards him. She had obviously misread his feelings for dislike when they were quite the opposite. The same games between boys and girls continued at his current age. One day at lunch Luke Garvey the soccer captain(and complete dolt) had snatched Katie's homework assignment and tried to keep it out of her reach. Any idiot could see that it was an excuse to get close to her, to inhale her, to feel the fleeting sensation of her warm body grazing his as she grappled for her property. He hoped his brother would have better luck with his crush without going to such petty means.

"What's her name?"

"Lucy."

Before Ralph could ask anymore questions, warning signals began to go off in his head as all five of his senses started tingling, setting the hairs on the back of his neck and arms on end, like a cornered cat. His heartbeat quickened as he scoured his mind for what was wrong. And then it hit him. It was the low sound of nearby singing.

He could still turn around and head in the opposite direction. He could still outrun his fate.

"Ralph, I see Jack ahead!"

Blast! Why had he allowed Marcus to sit on his shoulders? By doing so he had provided him with a better view than himself. He realised that his desire to please his brother often clouded his better judgement. He had no choice but to put one foot in front of the other and as the singing grew louder he knew he was walking towards his doom.

The choirboys came into view, all wearing the same attire of long white robes. Some were very young and others were Ralph's own age. They all shared one thing in common. Whilst singing they looked like a host of angels and their voices combined to form a sound so pure and inviting that it reminded him of the myth of the sirens that lead bewitched sailors to their deaths.

A small crowd had formed around the group and Ralph found himself drawn to the front. He scoured the angelic faces for Jack, but his search finished when all the voices barring one died away. A single tone rang out, majestic and mesmerising and in that split second Ralph's eyes met those of the choir's lead singer.

Jack did not offer any sign that he had noticed Ralph, too immersed was he in his solo. The crowd was deathly silent, even Marcus did not dare make a sound and risk disturbing the beautiful singing. Jack was the only redhead in the choir, although as the sun shone down on him it flickered streaks of gold through his scruffy locks. Ralph felt(to his embarrassment) tears trickling in his eyes and had to blink repeatedly to hide the affect the song was having on him. When he closed his eyes and focused on the almost eerie timbre of Jack's voice, he forgot the island, along with all the pain and misery that it had caused him. He was a child again, innocent and unspoiled. He remembered a time when his heart had blossomed and thrived, before darkness had captured it, twisted the joy and naivety out of it and tainted it with it's pitch black fingers. He was flying free, full of passion and eagerness for the vast, unexplored world.

Jack's voice died and Ralph's fantasy along with it. As reality crashed down around him, Ralph had to bite down on his lip to suppress the shudders of denial. He felt one hundred years old, his heart was a wilting flower and instead of flying free he was chained down to the earth and all it's evils surrounded him, choking him….

His pain was interrupted as the crowd began to clap. Among the many colliding hands Ralph could hear Marcus's small palms banging together above his head. He opened his eyes reluctantly and found Jack's eyes on his face full of intensity. A panic flooded him as the crowd separated and Jack abandoned the choir and began to walk towards them.

"Ralph, I want to get down now please."

Ralph obliged immediately, but kept one of Marcus's tiny hands curled up in his fist.

Jack took his time coming over. _Probably basking in my fear, the slimy git. _Ralph couldn't help but think to himself.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise! I wasn't expecting either of you never mind both."

Ralph smiled cynically to himself. So, the 'good boy' mask was on again. If he hadn't known him, Ralph would have seen a happy face and nothing more. However, he was unfortunate enough to have seen him without it on many occasions. The gentleman mask was covered in cracks. Invisible ones that only he could see. _How can you sing like that?_ Ralph wanted to ask Jack. He had heard him sing in the choir years ago before the mess on the island. The thing that disturbed him was that his voice retained the same purity, the same _virtue._ Yes, to the untrained eye, Jack had certainly coped well.

"Oh come Ralph, don't give me the silent treatment. Don't tell me you're still sore about losing our little game in your back garden," Jack's words were poison coated in honey, his tone full of nauseating sweetness, so as not to reveal to Marcus that they were being anything other than friendly towards each other.

"I wasn't aware I had lost," Ralph attempted to sound unaffected.

"Well, when two people are playing a game and one person wins, the other tends to lose," Jack couldn't help but sound superior as he teased him.

"Ralph always wins when we play games," Marcus pouted.

When Jack failed to reply Ralph was afraid that Marcus had awoken the inner savage that had lain dormant until that moment. He tightened his grip on his little brother's hand.

To his relief instead of having a drastic mood swing, Jack merely laughed and ruffled Marcus's hair playfully.

"That's because your brother is all grown up and you're still a littlun."

"He is _not _a littlun," Ralph's protest sounded more forceful than he had intended. He couldn't help it. Jack, along with Roger and Maurice had rejoiced in the littluns fear of them and the fabled "beast". Jack in particular had exploited and manipulated that fear to gain absolute power. The fact that he was addressing his brother in such a way showed that he viewed him as nothing more than a tool to control Ralph's emotions with.

"I'm not! I'm not!" Marcus protested indignantly.

In response, Jack bent down on his hunkers to face him directly. At the same time he lightly placed his hand on his shoulder and stroked the base of his throat with his thumb. The sun bounced off Jack's hand and illuminated a silver ring on the thumb. There was a design of some description imbedded in it and at it's tip it curved into an ugly spike. A weapon at the ready, no need to waste time fumbling in his pocket.

"If you're not a littlun, why does your brother have such a tight grip on your hand? Is he afraid you might runaway?"

Ralph's heartbeat began to escalate as Jack traced the sharp point over Marcus's jugular. He took his time, leisurely enjoying Ralph's discomfort.

Marcus, of course, remained oblivious to the danger and afraid of seeming like a baby, tried to pry his hand from Ralph's iron like grip. "Ralph, let go! I'm five years old today, a big boy! I can take care of myself."

"Is it your birthday today?" Jack inquired in what appeared to be an innocent tone, his eyes never leaving Ralph's face.. All the while he dug the sharp edge of his ring into Marcus's tender flesh. "I should give you a prese-"

"That's enough!" Ralph spat angrily and wretched Marcus away from danger's menacing grasp. Jack's features contorted into a demonic snarl, like a predator who had been denied the remains of it's prey. It took all of Ralph's willpower not to shrink away from the burning hatred that was emanating from the boy's eyes. And then the fierce loathing disappeared as quickly as it had come, to be replaced with an equally unsettling laugh.

"It looks like I win again!" he boomed as he straightened up and lowered his hand.

Marcus looked terribly confused. "But…we weren't playing a game."

Jack didn't bother looking at Marcus as he replied, keeping his eyes fixed on Ralph's horrified face. "Your brother and I were having a staring contest. He flinched first."

Ralph wanted to wring Jack's neck. His fingers were burning with the desire to choke him, to feel him squirm. Before the bloodlust overcame him and he lunged for the object of his hatred, a voice in the back of his mind whispered, _Don't give him the satisfaction. He wants to see you lose control. He wants to see you come undone._ So instead of attacking the smirking choir boy, Ralph hauled his brother into his arms and stormed off, all the while Jack's sinister laughter echoed in his ears.

He waited until he was certain that Jack hadn't followed them, or that he was far enough behind them that he could afford to let his guard down. He side-tracked down a gap between stalls. There, he placed Marcus down and began tearing clumps of earth out of the ground. Part of him wished that his rage would subside when exhaustion claimed him but he was not so lucky. When hills of unsettled earth surrounded him and sweat plastered his face and clutched his shirt to his back, the anger remained, hot and potent like an unquenchable flame. He bit down on his wrist, letting his teeth tear into his skin, imagining that it was Jack that he was biting. When he released his flesh from the painful confines of his razor-sharp teeth, he was surprised to find deep imprints of the attack on his arm. They were so feral looking that one would think that he had been ravaged by a wild animal.

The rage did not diminish entirely, but it slowly ebbed it's way back into the box that Ralph stored all his emotions in. There it lay, lurking in the deepest core of his heart, waiting for the opportunity to leap forth again and cause destruction.

The moment Ralph glanced upwards and saw Marcus's face, he began to think rationally once again. In Marcus's eyes Ralph saw a fragment of himself-a boy frozen with fear, uncertain and fragile. He looked like Ralph did the split second he realised his part in Simon's death. What…what had he just done? What had he exposed his brother to?

_The Beast_ a voice whispered in his head. It wasn't his own voice, but it was strangely familiar like something out of a half-forgotten dream. Had there ever been a beast? The superstitious child in him nodded fervently but the young adult knew better and suspected that the boys had created a threat of a monster so they wouldn't have to face up to the ones that hid under their skin.

Hesitantly, Ralph reached out to Marcus. He prayed the boy wouldn't flinch away from him. He didn't think he could cope if his brother learned to hate him as much as he hated himself.

Marcus's form seemed rigid, but when Ralph drew him into a deep hug the tension fled from his shoulders as he relaxed into his embrace.

"Ralph, what were you doing?" Marcus's voice was little more than a whisper.

Ralph responded without a second of hesitation. "I wanted to get away from Jack, so I decided to build us a fort out of the clay, so he could never find us no matter how hard he looked. But I cut my hand on a briar and had to suck it so it wouldn't sting as much." The lies flowed smoother than honey being poured into a bowl. It unnerved Ralph that he could tell his brother such untruths. But what was the alternative? Warn him of every evil that stalked the earth, of all the terrible things that happened in the world? No, children needed to savour the little time they had where none of those things existed for them. He wouldn't strip away the veil of innocence that separated his brother from all the terrors the world possessed. He was five years old and that time was reserved for happily ever afters and toys and hugs.

The two brothers emerged from the small(now partly demolished) gap between two stalls, both supporting the other. As Ralph observed Marcus's face he saw the anxiety and uncertainty fading away until it seemed the incident had never occurred in the first place. He envied him the ability to forget things so easily.

Although Ralph's frustration was sated, he still didn't consider the possibility of relaxing. Part of him still sensed the manic spirit of Jack Merridew nearby. It called out to his own tainted soul, like two wolves howling at the other from a distance. If Ralph focused enough he was positive that he could smell the boys sweat on the very air.

What Ralph wasn't expecting was the angel that stood one hundred metres in front of him behind the counter of a 'Kissing Booth' stall.

Katie was in for a busy day as the queue was lengthening by the second.

**Dum Dum Dum!!!!What did you guys think? Please review!=)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, so this is chapter 5....I feel kinda iffy about it so feedback is greatly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer; I don't own Lord Of The Flies. The paragraph in italics at the kissing booth is taken directly from the book.**

**Please read & review!**

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**A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing**

**Chapter 5**

A chubby boy leaned in for a kiss. Before sealing Katie's lips with his he removed his glasses and placed them in his shirt pocket. Ralph couldn't help but laugh at the boy. He was about his own age and despite his excessive weight, was obviously very confident in himself. When he had stepped forward and withdrawn his ticket, a smug smile adorned his flabby features and there was a tangible spring in his step. Ralph found himself comparing him to Piggy, if Piggy had been given the chance to gain some confidence and age four years or so.

Katie wasn't as chuffed as her eager customer. She clenched her eyes shut and Ralph could see from her expression that she was waiting for the ordeal to be over. Before the boy could claim his prize, Ralph was forced to look down to his left as Marcus was tugging on his sleeve. He appeared to have been trying to catch his attention for a few minutes.

"Look, it's Mummy!"

Ralph looked straight ahead beyond the "Kissing Booth" and searched the sea of faces for his mother's. It didn't take him long to find her. She had a touch of make-up on but what really caught his attention was the worry lines moulded into her skin. The tell tale signs that she was a concerned parent in search of her children.

He waved and when her eyes found the two boys the worry lines disappeared briefly as her face lit up with a relieved smile. She hurried forward and embraced them both quickly. She hunched down on her hunkers and began humouring her youngest.

"Tell me all about your birthday sweetheart!"

Ralph couldn't help but freeze internally. What if Marcus let slip about Jack's knife or his own fit of irrepressible rage? The tension fled from his body almost as quickly as it had entered it. Marcus mentioned only the happy events. Had he already forgotten the evil shadows that had stalked them since their arrival?

"-and then we went on the bumper cars and then we got MORE candy floss and-"

_Apparently so._

Even if Marcus had mentioned the less than enjoyable occurrences that evening, odds were that his mother wouldn't hear him. He was yammering on with more enthusiasm than a normal five year old should possess, his words almost incomprehensible.

Suddenly without any warning, Marcus vomited on the grass and a few dribbles clung to his shirt.

"Oh dear what a mess! Ralph, you shouldn't have fed him all that sugar! Darling are you alright?" Marcus made a slight grunt of reassurance that was laced with grogginess.

"You've had him all day. I'll bring him to the rest room and clean him up. See you back here in an hour?"

Ralph nodded and squeezed his brother's shoulder reassuringly after letting his hand go. To his surprise, his mother leaned over and granted him with a peck on the cheek before departing. A part of him was mortified, what if Katie saw?

As his thoughts returned to the object of his affection, he chanced a look in her direction. She appeared to be scrubbing her lips clean with some form of cloth. The queue was vacant. The fat boy had been the last customer for now at least.

Was this his chance? It seemed like the ideal opportunity. He'd go over to her and act cool and confident. They would exchange witty banter and then lock lips passionately. She would dump Daniel and waltz off with Ralph into the setting sun. That was the "movie version" that played in his head anyway. Was it worth the risk? Worth the possible humiliation?

_It's now or never._

With that in mind he forced his reluctant legs to move forward. He took deep breaths to steady himself and counted his footsteps in order to stay calm. All too soon he was in front of her. She had her back turned to him-Ralph guessed that she was counting the money she had made so far- and so remained oblivious to his inner struggle. Her hair seemed to reflect the sun, shiny and brilliant. He found himself becoming entranced as her familiar scent washed over him, the odour making him feel as if he were surrounded by apple trees in a giant orchard…

A sudden shove between his shoulder blades snatched him away from the comfort of his reverie. He turned half in fear, expecting Jack but was mildly relieved to be confronted by a spotty boy slightly younger than himself.

"You're next. Get a move on!" he said matter-of-factly before shoving him lightly forward for a second time.

When Ralph faced forward again Katie was looking at him. As their eyes locked, hers widened in recognition. Ralph offered a shaky smile and was mildly surprised when she returned the gesture. She put her hand out. Ralph thought she was being a bit too formal but offered his hand in response, not wanting to offend her.

If possible, her eyes widened even more and her smile became more amused.

"£3 please."

Ralph blushed and momentarily regretted not having his blond locks to hide the colour rising in his cheeks. Would have been handy. He withdrew his outstretched hand and began rummaging in his pocket for some loose change. The ordeal didn't take long, the money all but leapt into his waiting fingers. They made the exchange and then Katie did a surprising thing; she winked at him.

Before he could respond to the unexpected action, she closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly to the right. Awaiting his lead. Her flirtatiousness confused him. Did she genuinely like him or did she try to entice every boy that so much as glanced her way? Was she simply a minx who loved getting a reaction from members of the opposite sex? He tried not to dwell on it as he tilted his head to the left and gently moved his head forward.

The closer he came to her, the better she smelt. The smell of apples was tripled and the fruity flavour seemed to mingle with the light layer of sweat that laced her neck. Strings of hair stuck to her neck, while the rest of her blond mane billowed slightly in the evening breeze. Her mascara was slightly smudged and he could see where her foundation didn't blend properly with her skin tone. Tiny blemishes, that made her all the more appealing to him.

As he was about to coax her waiting mouth open with his eager tongue, an old memory flashed before his eyes.

_The beast struggled forward, broke the ring and fell over the steep edge of the rock to the sand by the water. At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws._

He remembered tearing a lump of flesh from Simon's shoulder, the soft spongy flesh tasted like cake and the blood coating his tongue like jam and cream….until the frenzy of violence had died down and he managed to cage his bloodlust again, somewhere deep inside. Then the flesh tasted like horror and the blood like shame.

As his lips lingered a mere hair's breadth away from Katie's he tasted the shame again, more real than ever, something tangible. He couldn't let her taste Simon's decomposing remains! How _stupid _had he been to think that he could behave like everybody else?

Having waited long enough, Katie risked a glance by opening one eye only to see her customer fleeing in the opposite direction. She felt insulted for a moment but as the next consumer stepped forward she pushed her classmate's odd behaviour to the back of her mind and continued about her business.

As Ralph ran from the booth, ignoring the mocking comments of the other boys, his eyes searched for a sanctuary. Moments later he found what he was looking for-the boy's bathroom. Upon entering he was grateful that he was alone. The place abandoned for now, he felt it was alright to sink to his knees and cradle his head in his trembling hands. He didn't cry, just huddled up and wallowed in his own self-pity. He heard the door open and close again but ignored it. He figured the person would use the urinal and leave. The person wouldn't bother him.

"I'm not going to lie to spare your feelings. That was truly pathetic."

Of course it was Jack. If he was ever in a position where things couldn't get any worse he could always count on Jack Merridew to appear out of nowhere and prove him wrong.

"You're a true friend. I know you only use brutal honesty because you care."

He didn't know why he was humouring him. Maybe if Ralph acted as if his presence didn't affect him in the slightest he would pick up and leave.

"Ralph! You seem to have developed a sense of humour in the half hour or so since our little tussle. The little game which _I_ won if I remember correctly."

Ralph raised his head from his hands as he clenched his fists, trying not to let his anger become transparent.

"You should laugh more. It brings out the sparkling blue of your eyes."

"I find it hard to laugh when my little brother is being threatened before my, as you say mesmerising eyeballs."

In the darkness of the room, Jack appeared more menacing than usual, a dark shadow bouncing off the walls. Despite his sinister form, Ralph felt more at ease than if he were alone. Comfortable even. Maybe if he wasn't protecting anyone else, Jack didn't seem like much of a threat. Just a harmless yet equally annoying fly, or a scar that he had become accustomed to.

"If you were so concerned for little Marcus, you wouldn't have left him while you went off _trying_ to kiss girls at kissing booths," he laughed, adding emphasis to the word 'trying'.

Ralph didn't bother replying. Jack continued.

"He who governed-or _attempted_ to govern should I say?-a bunch of brats, he who hunted wild boars and participated in a murder can't muster up the courage to peck a girl on the lips? It would be funny if it weren't so tragic. Was that supposed to be your first kiss or something?" he added snidely.

Ralph didn't know why he felt he had to explain himself to Jack. Before he could stop himself, he was getting to his feet and defending himself.

"For your information, I had my first kiss before we ever landed on that forsaken spit of land you're so fond of!"

Jack shrugged like it was no big deal. "Sooner than me. Before the island changed me girls didn't like me much. I guess it was the whole choir boy thing. Worse than being in the chess club in terms of getting girls. Didn't care much, I preferred mucking around with the lads."

"Also, you had too many freckles and your hair was too ginger," Ralph couldn't' help put get a dig in.

"We can't all be blond dreamboats, Ralphie." Before Ralph could react, Jack had leaned forward and caressed his bare scalp. As an involuntary shudder ran through him, Jack continued talking. "Still, better red hair than no hair at all. Who's the girl anyway?"

"Just some girl I saw behind the counter." Jack didn't need to know who Katie was or how important she was to him. He could use his weakness easily against him.

"Well, if you _have_ kissed a girl before, why did you flip out? Could it be that you've been saving those chapped lips for your wedding night? Trying to re-create your innocence since it was tarnished on the island? That's taking abstinence a little too far in my book…."

Ralph took a step back and Jack's hand dropped to the side. Even if he wasn't threatening him, his touch made him feel uncomfortable. Made him feel strange….

"Or maybe there's another reason for your self-restraint? Maybe you're saving yourself for someone special. Yours truly by any chance?"

Ralph's jaw dropped. Jack thought that….? He thought that he was…? Ralph opened and closed his mouth rhythmically for a few seconds with no sound emerging. He resembled a goldfish. When he finally regained his ability to speak he didn't say much.

"WHAT?"

Jack laughed.

"Don't tell me you've_ never_ considered it. All strong emotions echo each other. Hatred can be love in disguise-"

"I like girls!" Ralph's tone was adamant.

Jack raised his hands as if defending himself, albeit lazily. "Jeez! So do I! But you and me went through a lot together. We have this unspeakable bond that can't be broken. Forgive me for sounding sentimental but we're like Cathy and Heathcliff. Whatever your soul is made of, mine is made with the same. We're drawn to each other like two opposite sides of a magnet."

Ralph tried to push his thoughts from earlier aside, but the more he tried to banish them , the louder they rang in his ears- "_Part of him still sensed the manic spirit of Jack Merridew nearby. It called out to his own tainted soul, like two wolves howling at the other from a distance. If he focused enough he was positive that he could smell the boys sweat on the very air."_

Denial ate at him, trying to consume all his foreign thoughts about Jack. He hated him, that would never change, but there was also something about him that made Ralph curious.

As if recognising the silent admission in Ralph's eyes, Jack grabbed his face quicker than the speed of sound and smashed his lips against his.

As their tongues battled fiercely for dominance in the combat zone of their merged mouths, Ralph felt as if he were drowning in a pool of despair. Jack's kiss was animalistic and savage, void of all tenderness. It was as if Ralph's mouth was a prize that could be won only through brute force. While their lips were locked together, Ralph felt like every inch of him was singing.

Then Jack drew back and he felt sick to his stomach. Both at the withdrawal of his lips and the realisation that he had just kissed a boy. Not just any boy but his sworn enemy. Also, he felt that his bottom lip might be bleeding…

His horror must have been laid bare on his face because Jack rolled his eyes at him.

"Ready to kiss the girl now?"

Shock stopped him from replying.

Another eye-roll.

"Come on. I'll show you how it's done as that lesson clearly wasn't obvious enough for you."

And with that Jack traipsed out of the bathroom, a stunned Ralph on his heels.

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**So....good? Bad? Let me know!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi, it's been forever! Or about five months I guess...I'm sorry guys! Although I had planned to add a lot more chapters than this, I feel that that would be milking the story. Having read over it I feel that I've touched on all the themes I wanted to and if I kept writing Ralph-angst it would become far too repetitive. This was the first fanfic I ever uploaded and those of you who are still reading this were my first reviewers so this fic is still special to me. Thanks to everyone who ever read this. I leave you with this sinfully short epilogue.**

**Brat~**

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**A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing**

**Chapter 6: Epilogue**

Jack taught him everything. How to kiss, how to fight, how to disguise himself as a normal person. He had never managed to camouflage himself before, not entirely. Sure, he could try to fade into the background, but he still emanated some abnormal force.

Jack had destroyed him and made him whole again. No matter how grateful Ralph was to say goodbye to the darkness, there was always a part of him that was afraid to turn his back to Jack.

It wasn't until he was old and dying that he realised what Jack's plan had been. He hadn't had the balls to shove the knife forward just an inch to finish him off that day. Instead he had decided to pester him for life, to shadow him and his family and to torment him forever. Yes, the hunter had stalked him until the end of his days and had won the battle.

As Ralph's breath slowed and became more laboured he thought about what lay ahead for him. Heaven, hell….or eternity spent on that bloody island?

He closed his eyes and knew no more, Jack's laughter ringing in his ears.


End file.
